# SDMB RPG: Shadows of Arcady **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 9, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611 "2012-06-09T13:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/21 "2012-06-11T17:17:26Z")
**Brenley** wrinkles his nose and leans over the edge of the plateau to get a look at the area of the basin beneath it but spots nothing worth mentioning. The junior knight seems unnerved but otherwise calm and defers to **Karikhan**. **Kittix** and **Oshro** likewise follow the leads of their companions. > [@Babale](#): > > He runs his eyes over the surrounding rocks, cliffs, and trees, searching for anyone hiding there and wishing the party had been a little quieter on the ascent. **John** doesn’t spot anyone hiding amid the basin. There is naught but scrub and dirt for an enemy to conceal himself with. Whoever did this has either left the basin through the valley or gone into the tunnel. > [@Mosier](#): > > Karikhan readies his spear, his eyes narrowed as he surveys the area for tracks or other clues. From his current vantage point he is unable to detect anything. A more thorough search would require him to descend into the basin itself. > [@Mosier](#): > > Khan also looks for evidence of animals with a lair in the area, or that might have been nearby when the men were murdered. **Karikhan** is ready to forfeit such a search given the lack of evidence of animal life in the area but spots something when he shades his eyes with his hand and turns his gaze skyward. There is some predatory or scavenging bird circling high above the basin, its species impossible to make out from so far. **Karikhan** could attempt to communicate with it but he would have to call out to beckon it down. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/22 "2012-06-11T17:42:51Z")
Karikhan stows his spear, and opens his pack of supplies. There is not much inside as he travels lightly, but Khan removes some of the food and lays in on the ground before him. He steps back from his tribute offer and spreads his arms wide as he looks up to the carrion bird. Suddenly, a mighty squawk escapes from Karikhan’s mouth. It’s followed by several more similar loud cries indistinguishable from the soud of the carrion bird himself. It appears that Khan is actually attempting to speak to the animal. Great Watcher, I offer this tribute to your wisdom. In death, my people offer their bodies and blood to you. I humbly ask only for knowledge, to learn what you know of my brothers’ fate so I may avenge them. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/23 "2012-06-11T17:58:05Z")
The bird circles a few more times and seems to decline the offer as it glides away from the area but before long it wheels around and makes a slow descent to the mountain. It drops from the air once it’s about fifteen or so yards above the plateau, landing lightly on its feet atop the food offering. It is a massive condor with a 10ft wingspan, covered in oily black feathers everywhere but its head which is ugly and pink like a turkey’s. It eats some of the offered food, its hungry eyes lingering on the human remains. It is probably waiting for the party to leave so that it may feast on the corpse unmolested. It grunts and hisses at **Kharikan** , its voice shrill and loud. After a few moments of this it spreads its large wings and lifts off from the ground, flapping its way to an outcropping along the basin wall, where it sits in silence, watching the group. **Kittix** , **Brenley** and **Oshra** are all rather unnerved by the experience. **Jikhal** keeps his distance but seems unsurprised. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/24 "2012-06-11T18:07:23Z")
“Goblins,” Karikhan sneers. He starts the descent into the basin, toward the entrance to the ruins. “It is as I expected,” he mutters. What he does not say is that he is grateful the horde of goblins has entered the ruins, and is not hunting his tribe. Maybe the People of the Voice will have a respite from the greenskin attacks, at least for now. ---
**Author:** ![lunaticlucas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lunaticlucas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunaticlucas)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/25 "2012-06-11T19:09:03Z")
“Come on Kitz. The sooner we start the sooner we finish this.” Arrow calls back as he follows Karikhan, bow drawn. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/26 "2012-06-11T20:44:30Z")
John draws his sword and descends into the basin, eyes lingering on every rock and shrub. “What a terrible way to die…” he mutters. ---
**Author:** ![Rubberneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Rubberneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubberneck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/27 "2012-06-11T22:23:43Z")
Dur’dan keeps his weapon stowed and works his way down the path after the rest of the party. He’ll draw his axe when he has a reason to. He will also be keeping a close eye on his nephew, to make sure he doesn’t do anything foolish. Directed at his nephew: “keep your wits about you lad, don’t do anything this Longbeard wouldn’t do!” He yells at him laughing as he bounds down the path. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/28 "2012-06-12T01:51:46Z")
“There goes my appetite,” Hob whines after seeing the charred human remains. After Kharikhan chats with the condor (something Hob watches intently) and the party starts to scrabble down the path, Hob goes up to the barbarian and attempts chit-chatting again: “Neat trick you got there, talking with animals. I can see how it would come in handy, what with living in the wilds and all.” ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/29 "2012-06-12T02:09:37Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > “Neat trick you got there, talking with animals. I can see how it would come in handy, what with living in the wilds and all.” “In many ways your city is more wild than this desert,” Karikhan replies. “What is man, dwarf, elf, or hin, but yet another beast?” ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/30 "2012-06-12T06:14:18Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > “In many ways your city is more wild than this desert,” Karikhan replies. “What is man, dwarf, elf, or hin, but yet another beast?” Hob is temporarily silenced at the profundity of the savage’s reply. A younger Hob would have been intimidated by this situation and then probably continued to blather on about the Voice and all the adventures it would have helped him on when he was younger. Instead, he pauses and replies thusly: “True as that may be, we hin have a few tricks up our sleeves no beast I’ve met has yet to match.” Here he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an intricately carved pipe made out of what appears to be mahogany and amber. “Fancy a smoke?” he says, offering the pipe to Karikhan. “Finest pipe-weed in the hincamp.” ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/31 "2012-06-12T13:25:22Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > “Fancy a smoke?” he says, offering the pipe to Karikhan. “Finest pipe-weed in the hincamp.” At first, Karikhan is confused by the sheer silliness of the offer. Surely the halfling is not offering him pipe weed here, at the scene of a gruesome murder! He looks toward the entrance to the lost delve, and back toward the rest of the group, lagging behind by a few minutes. The urge to test the hin’s claim of superior quality is strong. “Thank you,” Khan says, a rare smile washing over his face. “I accept.” ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/32 "2012-06-12T14:39:38Z")
“Ah, splendid!” Hin says and hands over the pipe. “Granted, when compared to the amazing home-grown varieties you can find in my home village, it’s not quite up to snuff, no pun intended, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised none-the-less.” ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/33 "2012-06-12T21:05:50Z")
**Brenley** chastises **the halfling** as the party makes to descend into the basin, “Keep your wits about you! You can drown yourself in smoke when the job is done.” One-by-one, the group makes their way down the narrow stair carved into the stone. **Karikhan** is first and he scales the rock face with ease. Next comes **Arrow** , **Kittix** and **Jikhal** , each of whom fare just as well. **John Fredrickson** and **Jonathan Brenley** are next; they make the climb without too much difficulty. Then the **Ironbeards** , who struggle a bit (especially going over the lip of the plateau). Finally there’s **Hob** , who is worst of all and nearly tumbles into the basin but is caught with a saving grab from **Dur’dan**. Once in the basin the party gathers near the entrance of the cave and the foul campsite. Burnt strips of cloth and leather are scattered around the old bonfire and **Fredrickson** , crouching at the site to investigate briefly, unearths a pair of human teeth among the scrap. Nothing else is found at the site save for bone splinters and blood. The condor stares ominously at the party as it nears the entrance to the ruin. The cave itself opens like a snarling mouth. The tunnel winding away into the mountain is about seven feet tall ( **Karikhan** doesn’t have to stoop to make it through but it’s close) and twelve feet wide. The **Ironbeards** and **Arrow’s lizardfolk companion** need no light to see by but the others do. **Brenley** takes the lead of the group, carrying a torch aloft in his left hand, his right steady on the hilt of his sword. The party steels itself and enters the cave, which twists down into the mountain for nearly a quarter mile, before **Arrow** stops the party: He can hear chatter from ahead. After a few moments of straining ears the others can make out some of it, too. **Karikhan and Jikhal** , **the Ironbeards** and **Hob** know it immediately for what it is: Greenskin. Unfortunately none understand the foul tongue. Goblins, dwarves and lizardfolk can all see in the dark. The rest of the party, even the half-elf and hin, is incapable of seeing in pitch darkness. The light of a nearby torch will be obvious, even around several corners. The party needs to decide what to do. **Oshro Ironbeard** says something to **Dur’dan** in dwarven, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Do goblins eat lizardfolk?” Asks **Kittix** of **Arrow**. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/34 "2012-06-12T21:45:53Z")
“Careful now!” Says John. “Goblins aren’t very formidable, but they’re cunning and vicious.” ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/35 "2012-06-12T21:53:26Z")
Karikhan to the group - “One must scout ahead, to learn their strength. One not blinded by the darkness. If the greenskins are few, we strike.” ---
**Author:** ![lunaticlucas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lunaticlucas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunaticlucas)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/36 "2012-06-12T23:24:46Z")
“Don’t worry Kitz, you know together we’re invincible.” Arrow jokingly whispers to Kittix as he pats his back. “I agree with the shaman, we should send in one of the dwarves to scout out their numbers and equipment.” offered Arrow ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/37 "2012-06-12T23:28:50Z")
**The lizardfolk** agrees with that idea, not particularly eager to put his own scaly neck on the line: “Yes, yes. Send a dwarf in.” ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/38 "2012-06-13T02:03:09Z")
Hob responds light-heartedly to Brentley, but an undertone of irritation can be detected in his voice: “T’was just a quick puff to calm the nerves, that’s all.” After Dur’dan catches him: “Thank you kind dwarf. I owe you one.” At the entrance of the cave, after the party recommends sending in a dwarf, Hob speaks out to the party: “The more well-to-do Hin may prefer to live in smials, but even we can’t see in the dark. Dur’dan, do you feel up for it?” ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/39 "2012-06-13T02:17:59Z")
“I don’t suppose Karikhan could ask a rat or a bat to go for us?” ---
**Author:** ![Rubberneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Rubberneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubberneck)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611/40 "2012-06-13T02:23:21Z")
Dur’dan responds to his nephew in hushed dwarven and then nods to the group, continuing ahead of them, drawing his axe. “Aye let’s see what these greenskins have planned. If you hear me holler come runnin.” He says with a smile. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rpg-shadows-of-arcady/624611.md?page=3)